Availability

The original Usenet postings are most easily obtained from UUNet at [1]. The partXX.Z files in that directory are NetHack 3.0.0; patch* files are the patches for succeeding versions through NetHack 3.0.10.

The initial pet is a little dog for Cavemen, a kitten for Wizards,
and a random choice of the two for all others.

Dungeon features

The dungeon in NetHack 3.0.5 has no branches; there is one way up and one way down. The first 25 levels or so consist of rooms, and beyond that, the adventurer encounters the Castle and then mazes. The deepest dungeon level is 50.

Medusa appears as @ on the down-stairs of the level before the Castle. She does not have a special level, and is thus a snare for the unwary adventurer.

Fake Wizard rooms contain a random demon prince instead of the Wizard and a fake Amulet. If all demon princes have appeared, a demon lord appears instead; if all demon lords have appeared, the room contains a random ordinary demon. All eight modern named demons exist, but their modern lairs do not.

When ascending from level 1 with the Amulet of Yendor, one is transported immediately to the Astral Plane; the Elemental Planes do not yet exist. The Astral Plane is different from the modern game, having mazes and powerful monsters instead of the denizens of the modern version.

The method of obtaining holy or unholy water is different from modern versions. One drops a potion of water on an altar and it immediately becomes blessed, uncursed, or cursed for lawful, neutral, or chaotic altars, respectively.